Should I change my shopping habits now that Amazon collects sales tax?

Sep 10, 2013 1:31 PM

Starting September 1, Amazon started to collect sales tax in my state (Georgia). I'm going to assume that Woot will do so as well (crap). So, should I now start buying more things from Newegg and other retailers? I used to default to Amazon for just about everything, but the additional 6% is really going to put a pinch.

I'll probably have to consider the same situation in a year or so, since Amazon will soon build a warehouse/lfulfillment center in Florida but I'll likely continue with Amazon since I love and rely on Prime shipping and Amazon's terrific return policies.

I'm not sure Woot will operate exactly the same as Amazon, though, since Woot seems to be a subsidiary company and that may make some legal differences for tax-collection purposes.

@hackman2007: For awhile there, Amazon was charging KS tax but woot wasn't. That was nice. It helped justify buying from woot over Amazon when the prices were basically the same. Now they both charge KS tax. Just seems odd paying more than $8 for a BOC.

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I'll probably have to consider the same situation in a year or so, since Amazon will soon build a warehouse/lfulfillment center in Florida but I'll likely continue with Amazon since I love and rely on Prime shipping and Amazon's terrific return policies.

I'm not sure Woot will operate exactly the same as Amazon, though, since Woot seems to be a subsidiary company and that may make some legal differences for tax-collection purposes.

@hackman2007: For awhile there, Amazon was charging KS tax but woot wasn't. That was nice. It helped justify buying from woot over Amazon when the prices were basically the same. Now they both charge KS tax. Just seems odd paying more than $8 for a BOC.

I still buy things from Amazon, but try to buy from the marketplace with prime shipping. That way there is no tax. If it is not available from marketplace w/prime or is cheaper from Amazon, I look other places like Newegg. I do always price compare and add tax and shipping to the overall cost to determine cheapest. Unfortunately, Amazon isn't the cheapest even without tax anymore on most things. I guess it depends on what you are looking for, but I have found local stores to be comparable. The one exception for me is electronics, and those I go to Newegg and a few others.

As a result, now I'm going to have to reconsider the decision not to get ShopRunner. Ordering from Newegg (who now doesn't just sell computer hardware, but all kinds of stuff now) who doesn't charge GA tax becomes a far more attractive option, especially for high priced items.

The significant problem with ShopRunner is the seemingly large number of items NOT eligible for 2 day shipping at Newegg and other stores. At Amazon, nearly all of the goods they sell are Prime Eligible (I bought a huge gasoline powered blower/vacuum that was free shipping). We have had discussions here before on ShopRunner: the overall thought was "meh".

Periodically there are freebie deals for a year of shoprunner around. Spozedly for new accounts, but clever deal hunters seem to get around that. Dunno about now, if I were looking for such I'd search SD.

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